Device for cleaning moving balustrade belt

ABSTRACT

A device for cleaning a balustrade belt of an escalator. The device is detachably and elastically fitted over the belt at a position immediately outside the inlet in the escalator into which said balustrade belt enters. The device has a wiper placed so as to be in pressing contact with the outer surface of the balustrade belt, the wiper being provided with a safety member protruding from the device proper at one end thereof in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the belt so that the safety member fills in the space between the device and the belt thereby preventing accidental insertion or trapping therein of a finger or fingers such as by little children.

United States Patent [191 Hishitani Oct. 7, 1975 DEVICE FORCLEANINGMOVING BALUSTRADE BELT [76] Inventor: Kinue Hishitani, No. 5-10, Irie,Aza

Shimono-ike, Nishino, ltami, Hyogo, Japan 22 Filed: Apr. 2, 1974 21Appl. No.: 457,341

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Fiedler 198/16 R Kito 198/16R Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Assistant ExaminerD0uglas D. WattsAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT A devicefor cleaning a balustrade belt of an escalator. The device is detachablyand elastically fitted over the belt at a position immediately outsidethe inlet in the escalator into which said balustrade belt enters. Thedevice has a wiper placed so as to be in pressing contact with the outersurface of the balustrade belt, the wiper being, provided with a safetymember protruding from the device proper at one end thereof in adirection opposite to the direction of movement of the belt so that thesafety member fills in the space between the device and the belt therebypreventing accidental insertion or trapping therein of a finger orfingers such as by little children.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0a. 7,1975 Shest 1 of2 3,910,400

FIGS

US. Patent 0a. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,910,400

FIG.2

FIGA

III I I II :IIL

FIG.3

DEVICE FOR CLEANING MOVING BALUSTRADE BELT The'present invention relatesto a device for cleaning the balustrade belt of an escalator and thelike, said device having a wiper adapted to be detachably fitted to theguiderail of said balustrade belt so as to be in close conact with theouter surface of the belt, thereby wiping the belt as it moves.

It has been an earnest desire in the circles concerned to equip anescalator and the like with a cleaning device to continuously preventthe belt from becoming soiled by the hands of passengers, and also adevice helpful preventing finger-trapping as is often the case withlittle children.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a device for anescalator and the like capable of meeting each demand as mentionedabove.

The above-described object can be accomplished by the improvement,combination and operation of every part constituting the presentinvention, the preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in relationwith the annexed drawings as following.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the device in the present inventionin a state of actual usage.

FIG. 2 is a magnified view of the above showing main parts.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of said device.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the bottom of said device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of said device in an exploded state.

In the embodiment shown in the above FIGS. 1 5, an escalator 11 iscomprised of treads 13 above a machine chamber 12, and side walls 14 onboth sides of the treads l3. Said side walls 14 have at the outerperiphery thereof a guiderail 15 on which balustrade belt 16 is fittedso as to move together with the treads 13 at a fixed speed as is usuallythe case with an escalator and the like. Said balustrade belt 16,needless to say, passes through the machine chamber 12 at both sides ofwhich are provided projecting inlet 17 for the belt to go in and out.

The device proper 18 is made of hard synthetic resin and the like, saiddevice 18 being detachably fitted onto said balustrade belt 16immediately outside said inlet 17 into which said belt 16 is entering.

The afore-mentioned cleaning device proper 18 comprises a pair ofcompartments 19 and 20 bending inward so as to fit the shape of thebalustrade, said compartments l9 and 20 being connected by hinges 21 andaxis 22 so as to be placed at the connected parts below said balustrade,and said compartments l9 and 20 being provided with a spring 23 so as tospring bias the compartments I9 and 20 constantly inward.

Said compartments l9 and 20 are formed so as to leave a minute spacebetween them and the outer surface of the balustrade belt 16 when theyare fitted to each other so that a wiper 27 can be allowed into saidspace, said compartments I9 and 20 each having at the longitudinal endsthereof an inward-protrusion 24. Said compartments l9 and 20 are notchedall over the inside surfaces thereof, and a grip 26 being provided eachon the compartment 19 and 20 at the outside periphery thereof. The wiper27 is made of thick cloth, sponge and the like shaped suitable forpressing over the outer surface of the balustrade belt l6.

Said wiper 27 is provided with a layer 28 of felt and the like firmlyattached thereto covering its full size. Said layer 28 plays the role offitting the wiper 27 just inside the device 18, i.e., the compartmentsl9 and 20 in the combined state, in between said protrusions 24.

Said wiper 27 also is provided at the forward end thereof with a safetymember 37 projecting from the cleaning device 18 at its forward end,said safety member 37 in a swollen state playing the role of closing thespace between the belt at the outer surface thereof and the cleaningdevice proper to prevent accidental insertion or trapping of a finger orfingers in said space. This accident preventing effect can also apply tothe prevention of possible insertion of a finger or fingers by littlechildren into the sapce between the balustrade belt and the inlet. Saidsafety member 37 can be produced either by means of sewing another thickcloth, spongelike material and the like to the wiper 27, or partiallycurling the wiper 27 itself. Needless to say, this safety member isplaced on the side opposing to the moving direction of said belt 16.

Said wiper 27 is to contain disinfectant, silicon and the like to add tothe required purpose of maintaining sanitation.

A connector 30 fixes the device proper 18 to the escalator 11 at theguiderail 15 thereof, said connector 30 being secured firmly to theguiderail 15 at the outer surface of the base portion of side wallswelding and the like.

Said connector 30, made of hard rubber and the like comprises a lengthybody 32 having at both ends thereof projecting part 34 which forms arecess 33 for receiving the compartments l9 and 20 at one of the cornersthereof, said recess 33 having at the bottom thereof a small hole 35into which is inserted an inward-projection 36 provided in thecompartments l9 and 20 at one of corners thereof. Said insertion of theprojection 36 into the small hole 35 and the fitting of the compartmentsl9 and 20 at one of edges thereof into said recess 33 plays the role ofkeeping the device proper 18 firmly stationary over the balustrade belt16.

By means of fitting the cleaning device proper 18 onto the balustradebelt 16 immediately outside the inlet 17 with spring 23 incorporatedinside said device proper 18 working to bias the compartments l9 and 20inward, said wiper 27 makes a pressing contact with the balustrade belt16 at the outer surface thereof thereby wiping the balustrade belt as itmoves with the disinfectant, silicon and the like contained in the wiper27 further aiding in cleaning the belt surface.

Said wiper 27 when worn out can be replaced with new one by saidcompartments l9 and 20, and removing the wiper 27 from the connector 30.

What is claimed is:

l. A safety and cleaning device for cleaning the moving handrail on thesidewall of an escalator and the like and for preventing objects fromentering into the body of said escalator where said moving handrailenters into said escalator body, said device comprising:

wiper means in contact with said moving handrail for cleaning saidhandrail;

compartment means surrounding and spaced from said moving handrail andremovably secured to said escalator sidewall for containing said wipermeans in contact with said moving handrail, said compartment meanshaving open ends for allowing said moving handrail to pass therethroughand located at the position where said moving handrail enters into saidescalator body;

fastening means attached to said escalator sidewall partment means iscomprised of:

two encasing halves surrounding said moving hand rail;

spring hinge means for hinging said two encasing halves together andbiasing both of said halves inward toward said handrail;

rims along the edges of each encasing half for containing said wipingmeans within said compartment means;

projections on the inside edges of each half opposite said hinge meansfor engaging with and removably securing said compartment means to saidfastening means, and

two handles, one on each encasing half, to facilitate the positioning ofsaid compartment means around said handrail and to facilitate theremoval of said compartment means from around said handrail.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said wiping means is comprisedof a solvent treated cleaningmaterial layer positioned for contact withsaid handrail and a backing-material layer attached to saidcleaningmaterial layer removably fitted within the inside rim of saidcompartment means.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fastening means iscomprised of two fastening bars, a first fastening bar attached to thesidewall of said escalator on one side of said moving handrail and asecond fastening bar attached to said sidewall on the other side of saidhandrail, and fastening bars having holes therein to receive theprojections on the inside edges of said encasing halves whereby saidcompartment means is removably fitted around said moving handrail byengaging the projections on the inside of the encasing halves in theholes in said fastening bars.

1. A safety and cleaning device for cleaning the moving handrail on thesidewall of an escalator and the like and for preventing objects fromentering into the body of said escalator where said moving handrailenters into said escalator body, said device comrising: wiper means incontact with said moving handrail for cleaning said handrail;compartment means surrounding and spaced from said moving handrail andremovably secured to said escalator sidewall for containing said wipermeans in contact with said moving handrail, said compartment meanshaving open ends for allowing said moving handrail to pass therethroughand located at the position where said moving handrail enters into saidescalator body; fastening means attached to said escalator sidewall forreceiving and securing said compartment means surrounding said handrailto said escalator sidewall, whereby said cOmpartment means can beattached around and removed from around said handrail; and safety meansattached to said wiper means, extending out of said compartment means inthe direction opposing the motion of said moving handrail, and fillingthe space between said compartment means and said moving handrail,thereby preventing objects from entering said escalator body and gettingcaught between said moving handrail and said compartment means.
 2. Adevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compartment means iscomprised of: two encasing halves surrounding said moving handrail;spring hinge means for hinging said two encasing halves together andbiasing both of said halves inward toward said handrail; rims along theedges of each encasing half for containing said wiping means within saidcompartment means; projections on the inside edges of each half oppositesaid hinge means for engaging with and removably securing saidcompartment means to said fastening means, and two handles, one on eachencasing half, to facilitate the positioning of said compartment meansaround said handrail and to facilitate the removal of said compartmentmeans from around said handrail.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2wherein said wiping means is comprised of a solvent treatedcleaning-material layer positioned for contact with said handrail and abacking-material layer attached to said cleaning-material layerremovably fitted within the inside rim of said compartment means.
 4. Adevice as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fastening means is comprisedof two fastening bars, a first fastening bar attached to the sidewall ofsaid escalator on one side of said moving handrail and a secondfastening bar attached to said sidewall on the other side of saidhandrail, and fastening bars having holes therein to receive theprojections on the inside edges of said encasing halves whereby saidcompartment means is removably fitted around said moving handrail byengaging the projections on the inside of the encasing halves in theholes in said fastening bars.